Screw-driven spreading tool with a disengage

Abstract

According to one example, a tool includes a second arm pivotally coupled to a first arm, a lead screw nut pivotally coupled to a second portion of the second arm, and a lead screw extending through an opening of the lead screw nut, the lead screw being pivotally and rotationally coupled to a second portion of the first arm. The tool has an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration. In the engaged configuration, a first portion of the first arm may be pivoted further from a first portion of the second arm when the lead screw is rotated. In the disengaged configuration, the first portion of the first arm may be pivoted closer to the first portion of the second arm without the lead screw being rotated.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tool, comprising:
 a first arm comprising a first portion, a second portion, and an opening; 
 a second arm pivotally coupled to the first arm, the second arm comprising a first portion and a second portion; 
 a first attachment point pivotally coupled to the first portion of the first arm; 
 a second attachment point pivotally coupled to the first portion of the second arm; 
 a lead screw nut pivotally coupled to the second portion of the second arm, the lead screw nut comprising an opening that extends through the lead screw nut, wherein the opening comprises a first opening portion and a second opening portion, wherein the second opening portion comprises a plurality of threads; 
 a lead screw block pivotally coupled to the second portion of the first arm, the lead screw block comprising an opening that extends through the lead screw block; 
 a lead screw extending through the opening of the first arm, through the opening of the lead screw nut, and through the opening of the lead screw block, the lead screw comprising a first screw portion that comprises a plurality of threads, the first screw portion having a first diameter that is less than a diameter of the opening of the lead screw block and that is also less than a diameter of the first opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut, the lead screw further comprising a second screw portion that is positioned against a side of the lead screw block and that has a second diameter that is greater than the diameter of the opening of the lead screw block; and 
 a handle coupled to the lead screw; 
 wherein the tool comprises an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration; 
 wherein the lead screw is pivotable, in relation to the first and second arms, by a user to switch the tool from the engaged configuration to the disengaged configuration and from the disengaged configuration to the engaged configuration; 
 wherein, in the engaged configuration, the lead screw extends through the opening of the lead screw nut in a position that causes the lead screw to extend through the second opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut and further causes the plurality of threads of the lead screw to engage with the plurality of the threads of the second opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut, wherein, in the engaged configuration, the tool is configured to cause the first portion of the first arm to pivot closer to the first portion of the second arm when the lead screw is rotated in a first direction, wherein, in the engaged configuration, the tool is further configured to cause the first portion of the first arm to pivot further from the first portion of the second arm when the lead screw is rotated in a second direction; 
 wherein, in the disengaged configuration, the lead screw extends through the opening of the lead screw nut in a position that causes the lead screw to extend through the first opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut, wherein, in the disengaged configuration, the tool is configured to allow the first portion of the first arm to be pivoted closer to the first portion of the second arm without the lead screw being rotated, wherein, in the disengaged configuration, the tool is further configured to allow the first portion of the first arm to be pivoted further from the first portion of the second arm without the lead screw being rotated. 
 
     
     
       2. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the first attachment point comprises a first suction cup and the second attachment point comprises a second suction cup. 
     
     
       3. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the tool is configured to be switched from the engaged configuration to the disengaged configuration and from the disengaged configuration to the engaged configuration without the use of any springs. 
     
     
       4. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the tool is configured to be switched from the engaged configuration to the disengaged configuration and from the disengaged configuration to the engaged configuration without the use of any buttons. 
     
     
       5. A tool, comprising:
 a first arm comprising a first portion and a second portion; 
 a second arm pivotally coupled to the first arm, the second arm comprising a first portion and a second portion; 
 a lead screw nut pivotally coupled to the second portion of the second arm, the lead screw nut comprising an opening that extends through the lead screw nut, wherein the opening comprises a first opening portion and a second opening portion, wherein the second opening portion comprises a plurality of threads; and 
 a lead screw extending through the opening of the lead screw nut, the lead screw comprising a first screw portion that comprises a plurality of threads, the first screw portion having a first diameter that is less than a diameter of the first opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut, wherein the lead screw is pivotally and rotationally coupled to the second portion of the first arm; 
 wherein the tool comprises an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration; 
 wherein, in the engaged configuration, the lead screw extends through the opening of the lead screw nut in a position that causes the lead screw to extend through the second opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut and further causes the plurality of threads of the lead screw to engage with the plurality of the threads of the second opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut, wherein, in the engaged configuration, the tool is configured to cause the first portion of the first arm to pivot closer to the first portion of the second arm when the lead screw is rotated in a first direction, wherein, in the engaged configuration, the tool is further configured to cause the first portion of the first arm to pivot further from the first portion of the second arm when the lead screw is rotated in a second direction; 
 wherein, in the disengaged configuration, the lead screw extends through the opening of the lead screw nut in a position that causes the lead screw to extend through the first opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut, wherein, in the disengaged configuration, the tool is configured to allow the first portion of the first arm to be pivoted closer to the first portion of the second arm without the lead screw being rotated, wherein, in the disengaged configuration, the tool is further configured to allow the first portion of the first arm to be pivoted further from the first portion of the second arm without the lead screw being rotated. 
 
     
     
       6. The tool of  claim 5 , wherein the lead screw is pivotable, in relation to the first and second arms, by a user to switch the tool from the engaged configuration to the disengaged configuration and from the disengaged configuration to the engaged configuration. 
     
     
       7. The tool of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a first attachment point pivotally coupled to the first portion of the first arm; and 
 a second attachment point pivotally coupled to the first portion of the second arm. 
 
     
     
       8. The tool of  claim 7 , wherein the first attachment point comprises a first suction cup and the second attachment point comprises a second suction cup. 
     
     
       9. The tool of  claim 5 , wherein the tool is configured to be switched from the engaged configuration to the disengaged configuration and from the disengaged configuration to the engaged configuration without the use of any springs. 
     
     
       10. The tool of  claim 5 , wherein the tool is configured to be switched from the engaged configuration to the disengaged configuration and from the disengaged configuration to the engaged configuration without the use of any buttons. 
     
     
       11. The tool of  claim 5 , wherein each of the lead screw nut and the lead screw are located in a position that is forward of a pivot axle of the first and second arms. 
     
     
       12. The tool of  claim 5 , further comprising a handle coupled to the lead screw. 
     
     
       13. The tool of  claim 5 , wherein the second portion of the second arm is positioned within the second portion of the first arm, and wherein the second arm is pivotally coupled to the first arm at a pivot axle. 
     
     
       14. The tool of  claim 5 , wherein the first opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut overlaps with the second opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut. 
     
     
       15. The tool of  claim 5 , wherein the first opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut is devoid of any threads. 
     
     
       16. The tool of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of threads of the second opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut extend over a circumference of the second opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut in an arc of 200 degrees-220 degrees. 
     
     
       17. The tool of  claim 5 , wherein the second arm comprises a flat bottom surface. 
     
     
       18. The tool of  claim 5 , further comprising a lead screw block pivotally coupled to the second portion of the first arm, the lead screw block comprising an opening that extends through the lead screw block, wherein the lead screw extends through the opening of the lead screw block, wherein the lead screw further comprises a second screw portion that has a second diameter that is greater than the diameter of the opening of the lead screw block. 
     
     
       19. A method of assembling a tool, comprising:
 pivotally coupling a first arm to a second arm, the first arm comprising a first portion and a second portion, the second arm comprising a first portion and a second portion; 
 pivotally coupling a lead screw nut to the second portion of the second arm, the lead screw nut comprising an opening that extends through the lead screw nut, wherein the opening comprises a first opening portion and a second opening portion, wherein the second opening portion comprises a plurality of threads; 
 positioning a lead screw through the opening of the lead screw nut, the lead screw comprising a first screw portion that comprises a plurality of threads, the first screw portion having a first diameter that is less than a diameter of the first opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut; and 
 pivotally and rotationally coupling the lead screw to the second portion of the first arm. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the tool comprises an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration;
 wherein, in the engaged configuration, the lead screw extends through the opening of the lead screw nut in a position that causes the lead screw to extend through the second opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut and further causes the plurality of threads of the lead screw to engage with the plurality of the threads of the second opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut, wherein, in the engaged configuration, the tool is configured to cause the first portion of the first arm to pivot closer to the first portion of the second arm when the lead screw is rotated in a first direction, wherein, in the engaged configuration, the tool is further configured to cause the first portion of the first arm to pivot further from the first portion of the second arm when the lead screw is rotated in a second direction; 
 wherein, in the disengaged configuration, the lead screw extends through the opening of the lead screw nut in a position that causes the lead screw to extend through the first opening portion of the opening of the lead screw nut, wherein, in the disengaged configuration, the tool is configured to allow the first portion of the first arm to be pivoted closer to the first portion of the second arm without the lead screw being rotated, wherein, in the disengaged configuration, the tool is further configured to allow the first portion of the first arm to be pivoted further from the first portion of the second arm without the lead screw being rotated.